XXVIII 



BEAKS 



In some hornbills the grease supplied by the oil-gland 

 is bright yellow, and if the hand be rubbed over the 

 feathers it will be stained with this pigment. 



Hornbills are not only odd in appearance and 

 structure, but they have some curious domestic habits. 



Hornbills abound in Uganda and the Mau forest and are sure 

 to attract attention, for they are big birds and possess 

 great bills of curious shape. In spite of the apparent 

 clumsiness of the beaks, hornbills use them dexterously, 

 especially in catching grapes. 



During incubation the hen is enclosed in a hollow tree 

 and diligently fed by the male bird until the chicks are 

 hatched. Livingstone noticed this breeding habit of 

 the Red-billed Hornbill during his journey down the 

 Zambesi Most of the arboreal species have this habit. 

 The material used for fastening up the hole in the tree 

 appears to be the droppings from these birds ; as the 



